Fuel production by free fall countercurrent flow

ABSTRACT

A process and apparatus for production of liquid and gaseous fuels from solid organic carbonaceous materials by reacting free falling solids in a countercurrent gas stream. The process is conducted with a lean solids phase which provides good process control and uniform flow of solids even in the presence of condensation and refluxing of liquids on the solid particles. Rapid heatup rates provide high carbon conversions. Oil shales of the eocene period are particularly well suited for the process of this invention. A reactor particularly suited for conducting reactions between free falling solids and countercurrent flowing gas streams is disclosed together with preferred methods for introduction of solid feeds to the top of the reactor.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending applicationSer. No. 386,721 filed June 9, 1982, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,431,509.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to production of principally hydrocarbon liquidand gaseous fuels from organic carbonaceous solids by countercurrentflow of heat-containing gas with free fall solids through a reactor, thesolids passing sequentially through a solids preheat and pretreatmentzone, a reaction zone, and a gas preheat zone. Liquid and gaseous fuelsmay be produced from organic carbonaceous materials such as oil shale,coal, peat and biomass.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The worldwide energy shortage has encouraged consideration andimprovement of various processes for production of hydrocarbon fuelswhich do not involve petroleum products. Non-petroleum materials such asoil shale, coal, peat and biomass represent a large potential energyresource.

The production of hydrocarbon fuels by hydroconversion of oil shale iswell known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,003,821 teaches production ofliquid hydrocarbons from oil shale by passing a hydrogen-rich gas streamcountercurrent to a packed moving bed or fluidized bed of oil shaleparticles. The '821 patent teaches use of hydrogen sufficient to meetchemical requirements and the desirability of a sufficient excess ofhydrogen to convert all of the hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide producedto methane. U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,215 teaches production of liquidhydrocarbons from oil shale by passing a hydrogen-rich gas stream incontact with oil shale particles in a moving bed. The '215 patentteaches the preferability of passing the hydrogen-rich gas stream incocurrent relation with the oil shale particles to avoid condensation ofhydroretorted liquids. The problems of condensation of liquids on thesolid particles has been recognized by the prior art, for example, inU.S. Pat. No. 3,619,405. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,891,403 and 3,929,615 teachproduction of high methane content gas from oil shale byhydrogasification.

Several patents teach various methods of retorting hydrocarbonaceoussolids utilizing moving solids beds wherein gas passes countercurrently,such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,841,992; 3,619,405; 3,503,869; 2,899,365 and3,297,562.

Free fall oil shale hydrogasification is taught by U.S. Pat. No.3,421,868. The '868 patent teaches production of relatively high Btu gasfrom oil shale by passing freely falling oil shale in contact withhydrogen which is passed either cocurrent with or countercurrent to thefree falling shale. The '868 patent teaches the desirability of low gasto shale ratios and flow rates of hydrogen gas much lower than flowrates of shale solids, resulting in much longer gas residence time thansolids residence time within the reactor. The process of the '868 patentdoes not require heat input to the reaction zone. The '868 patentteaches that the disclosed free falling shale process substantiallyreduces decomposition of mineral carbonates while providingsubstantially the same gaseous yield as previous moving bed processes.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,311 teaches a process for high yield of coal tars bycontacting coal in a series of free fall reaction zones with a cocurrentflow of hydrogen followed by quick quenching and removal of coal tarprior to entry to the next reaction zone. The '311 patent teaches lowhydrogen to coal ratios and the importance of very rapid heat-up, shortresidence time, and quenching.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a process for increased production of liquidand gaseous fuels from solid organic carbonaceous materials of the typehaving a sufficiently high density, such as oil shale, coal, peat andbiomass, to free fall in a lean solids stream countercurrent to aheat-containing gas stream. The process of this invention involves thesolid organic carbonaceous material passing in free fall countercurrentflow relation to heat-containing gas sequentially through a solidspreheat and pretreatment zone, a reaction zone, and a gas preheat zone.The gas may be reactive or non-reactive with the solids. The gasprovides heat to the solids for the solids pyrolysis reaction which maybe liquefaction or gasification. Suitable gases include any heattransfer gas such as air, steam, flue gas, synthesis gas, hydrogen, andmixtures such as steam-oxygen and steam-carbon monoxide. A high gas tosolids ratio of about 5 to about 35 Standard Cubic Feet per pound ofsolids is maintained in the reaction zone. This provides a lean solidsstream so that the heat content of the gas is sufficient to rapidly heatthe solids to reaction temperature. Hydrogen is a preferred gasresulting in higher methane yields by hydroconversion and hydrogenpretreating of the solids. In the case of hydrogen, a high hydrogen toorganic carbon ratio of about 10 to about 30 Standard Cubic Feet ofhydrogen per pound of carbonaceous material is maintained in thereaction zone. Further, short gas residence times, as compared to solidresidence times, are provided by the heat-containing gas movingcountercurrently to the organic carbonaceous solids at a higher velocitythan the solid material. A solids residence time in the reaction zone ofabout 2 to about 400 seconds at temperatures of about 500° to about2000° F. forms predominately the desired liquid and gaseous productswhich are removed from the upper portion of the vertical reactor vesseland the spent carbonaceous material is removed from the lower portion ofthe reactor vessel. For preferential liquid production, the reactionzone temperatures are about 800° to about 1300° F. and for preferentialgas production about 1400° to about 2000° F.

The process of this invention in one embodiment provides that the solidorganic carbonaceous material and the gas are introduced at aboutambient temperatures. The problems of liquid condensation and clogging,previously encountered in moving bed reaction processes, areconsiderably reduced or eliminated in the process of this invention,thereby providing a higher useful yield of the more desired liquidproducts. When liquid production is desired, it is frequentlyadvantageous to remove the liquids from the gas stream between the topof the reaction zone and the bottom of the solids preheat zone tofurther avoid liquid condensation on the cooler solids. Variation ofprocess conditions within specified limits provides for utilization of awide variety of organic carbonaceous containing feed solids.

It is an object of this invention to provide a process for production ofliquid and gaseous fuels from solid carbonaceous materials, which have asufficiently high density to free fall in a lean solids streamcountercurrent to a the gas stream, by passing the carbonaceous materialin free fall countercurrent flow relation to upwardly flowing gas in asingle vertical reactor.

It is another object of this invention to provide a process forproduction of liquid fuels from heavy organic carbonaceous materials ina free fall countercurrent flow reactor free from clogging problemsexperienced in prior moving bed reactors.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a process forproduction of liquid fuels from carbonaceous materials in which priorproblems of liquid condensation in moving bed reactors is greatlyreduced.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent upon readingthe detailed description of preferred embodiments with reference to thedrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a reactor vessel according to oneembodiment of this invention suitable for carrying out the process ofthis invention; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the upper portion of a reactor ofanother embodiment for use in the process of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Carbonaceous materials useful as feed materials in this invention aresolid organic carbonaceous materials having sufficiently high density tocause solid particles of a size providing reasonably high reactivesurface area to fall in a lean solids stream countercurrent to a gasstream. The particle size may vary over quite wide ranges dependent uponthe density of the solids. Suitable particle sizes are generally about-6 to about +400 U.S. Sieve, preferably about -10 to about +200 U.S.Sieve. Suitable solid organic carbonaceous material is selected from thegroup consisting of oil shale, coal, peat and biomass.

Oil shales of the Eocene period generally found in the western UnitedStates, particularly the northwestern area of Colorado and in theadjoining areas of Utah and Wyoming are suitable for use in thisinvention. These oil shales have an organic carbon to hydrogen weightratio typically of less than 8/1 and usually of 7/1 to 8/1 and ModifiedFischer Assays in the order of 25 gallons per ton or more. Oil shalesfrom deposits such as Devonian and Mississippian, generally found in theeastern portion of the United States are especially suitable for use inthis invention. These oil shales have been found to have organic carbonto hydrogen weight ratios typically in the order of 10/1 up to about13/1 and Modified Fischer Assays of less than about 15 gallons of oilper ton and frequently as low as less than 5 gallons of oil per ton. TheModified Fischer Assays have been found to not represent the organiccarbon actually present in the "eastern" type shale having the higherorganic carbon to hydrogen weight ratios. Further, the inorganic carbonpresent in the "eastern" type oil shales is lower than that of the"western" type oil shales by a factor of greater than 10 and up to 30 to40. The following table shows compositions of both the organic andinorganic portions of a typical "eastern" and "western" oil shale.

                  TABLE I                                                         ______________________________________                                                     Source of Oil Shale                                                           Clark County, Ind.                                                                        Colorado                                                          (Eastern)   (Western)                                                         Weight Percent                                                   ______________________________________                                        Organic                                                                       Carbon         13.7          13.6                                             Hydrogen       1.2           1.9                                              Sulfur         0.3           0.3                                              Nitrogen       0.4           0.5                                              Oxygen         1.0           1.7                                              Carbon/Hydrogen                                                                              11.4          7.2                                              Inoroanic                                                                     Carbon Dioxide 0.5           15.9                                             Water          4.0           1.8                                              Sulfur         4.4           0.2                                              Ash            78.3          66.8                                             Modified Fischer Assay                                                                       10            30                                               gal/ton                                                                       ______________________________________                                    

The excess of the totals over 100 percent is thought to be due to weightgain by oxidation of metals in the mineral component during ashing. Itis readily observed from Table I that while the organic carbon contentof the two oil shales is almost identical, the Modified Fischer Assayvaries by a factor of 3. Oil shales having the properties set forthabove as typical of "eastern" shale are particularly preferred for usein the process of this invention. Suitable coal for use in the processof this invention includes anthracite, bituminous and lignite. Peatsuitable for use in this invention includes new peat and old peat.

Biomass materials suitable for use in this invention include heavybiomass materials such as organic solid sanitary, agricultural, andmunicipal wastes and woods.

Suitable sizes for introduction of the solid organic carbonaceousmaterial are particles predominantly about -6 to about +400 U.S. Sieve,preferably about -55 to about +300 U.S. Sieve, about -55 to +200 U.S.Sieve being most preferred. The size of the particles is dependent uponthe density of the particle so as to provide desired free fall velocityas set forth further herein. The solid organic carbonaceous materialsuseful as feed stock in this invention generally have a true density ofabout 50 to about 200 pounds per cubic foot.

Referring to FIG. 1, the solid organic carbonaceous material may bepretreated in any desired fashion, such as reduction of moisturecontent, and provided to solids storage hopper 21 which, together withsolids introduction conduit 22 and solids introduction feed means 23,make up solids feeding means 20. Any suitable solids feeding means asknown to the art may be used. The feed solids are introduced to reactor10 through vessel top bell 14 and pass over solids distribution baffles24 to provide even distribution of the introduced solids across the areaof the reactor. The solids pass downwardly by gravity and passsequentially through solids preheat and pretreatment zone I, reactionzone II, heat addition zone III and gas preheat zone IV. Heat additionzone III is provided between gas preheat zone IV and reaction zone II toprovide the necessary addition of heat to maintain the reaction zone IIat temperatures of about 800° to about 2000° F. The spent solids leavethe reactor by spent solids discharge conduit 19 through reactor vesselbottom 16.

Gas passes upward through reactor 10 countercurrent to the downwardpassage of the solid organic carbonaceous material. Gas at or nearambient temperature conditions may be introduced to the lower portion ofthe reactor vessel through gas introduction conduit 31 controlled byvalve V₁ and pass upwardly through gas distributor plate 32 and throughgas preheat zone IV wherein the free falling solid particles transferheat to the countercurrent flowing gas stream. The gas stream is furtherheated in heat addition zone III which may be considered, and is meantto be considered for the purpose of this disclosure and claims, as thelower portion of reaction zone II since further reaction may take placein zone III. Hot heat-containing gas or hot non-reactive solids may beintroduced through hot gas/solids conduit 44 controlled by valve V₄. Anysuitable means may be used to distribute the hot gas or hot solidsgenerally uniformly across the reactor cross section. The amount of heatnecessary to add in heat addition zone III is that amount sufficient tomaintain the reaction zone II at desired temperatures of about 800° toabout 2000° F. In preferred embodiments the temperatures in reactionzone II are maintained at about 800° to about 1200° F. for theproduction of liquids and at about 1400° to about 2000° F. for theproduction of gases. In one embodiment of this invention, the spentparticles removed through discharge conduit 19, particularly when coalor peat is used as feed solids, may be combusted in a separatecombustion process to heat the gas or non-reactive solids forintroduction through conduit 14. It will be apparent that the amount ofheat-containing gas introduced through each of conduits 31 and 44 may beadvantageously adjusted to provide the desired heat to reaction zone II.Thermal energy may also be provided to heat addition zone III byaddition of combustible material through conduit 41 controlled by valveV₃ and mixing the oxygen-containing gas, such as air, introduced throughconduit 42 controlled by valve V₂ in an amount sufficient for internalcombustion within heat addition zone III to provide the desiredtemperatures in reaction zone II. When the heat-containing gas containssufficient oxygen for combustion, it is not necessary to add additionaloxygen-containing gas through conduit 42. When hydrogen is used as theheat-containing gas, hydrogen may be combusted in heat addition zone IIand such combustion may be controlled by control of the addition ofoxygen.

The upwardly flowing heat-containing gas stream entering reaction zoneII is in an amount of about 5 to about 35 and preferably about 10 toabout 30 Standard Cubic Feet of gas per pound of raw carbonaceousmaterial in countercurrent flow thereto. A frequently used amount ofheat-containing gas introduced to the reaction zone is an amount ofabout 15 to about 25 Standard Cubic Feet of gas per pound of thecountercurrent flowing carbonaceous material. The solid carbonaceousmaterial moves downwardly through the reaction zone at about 0.1 toabout 5 feet per second, preferably about 0.5 to about 2 feet persecond, while the heat-containing gas moves countercurrently upward at ahigher flow rate of about 0.3 to about 15 feet per second, preferablyabout 2 to about 4 feet per second, providing solids residence time inthe reaction zone of about 2 to about 400 seconds. In a preferredembodiment, the solids residence time in the reaction zone is about 20to about 200 seconds. These velocities are expressed as absolute ratesof travel, not relative to each other. These rates have been foundsuitable for desired heating of the solid particles to reactiontemperatures.

One feature of this invention is high carbon conversion with high heatuprate of the solid particles. Heatup rates to desired reactiontemperatures of about 1,000° to about 30,000° F. per minute are suitablefor use in the process of this invention, about 2,000° to about 10,000°F. per minute being preferred for most carbonaceous materials.Laboratory tests using shale particles of -170 to +200 U.S. Sieve sizein a nitrogen stream at 1 atmosphere pressure show that during the rapidheatup at 4,000° F./minute to 899° F., without any retention at thattemperature, high total carbon conversions are obtained.

    ______________________________________                                                          "Eastern Shale"                                                               New Albany,                                                                   Indiana                                                     ______________________________________                                        Feed Analysis:                                                                (dry basis, wt. %)                                                            Ash                 76.96                                                     Total Carbon        13.73                                                     Hydrogen            1.80                                                      Nitrogen            0.48                                                      Residue Analysis:                                                             (dry basis, wt. %)                                                            Total Carbon        6.54                                                      Hydrogen            0.55                                                      Nitrogen            0.32                                                      Modified Fischer Assay                                                                            12                                                        Total Carbon                                                                  Conversion:                                                                   Expected Basis Fischer Assay                                                                        35%                                                     Actually Obtained   59.8%                                                     ______________________________________                                    

In another emobodiment baffles may be used in any of the various reactorzones to periodically impede the freely falling solid particlesdecreasing their average downward velocity, thereby decreasing theheight of the particular reactor zone necessary to achieve the desiredsolids residence time. Any type of appropriate baffles, such asdistribution baffles 24, can be used for this purpose. The preferredbaffle arrangement should impede the particles about every 2 to 10 feet,preferably about every 3 to 7 feet of reactor zone length.

The upwardly flowing heat-containing gas stream leaving reaction zone IIpasses upwardly through preheat and pretreatment zone I. In the solidspreheat and pretreatment zone, thermal transfer between theheat-containing gas and carbonaceous solids takes place cooling the gasand heating the solids. When hydrogen-rich gas is used it additionallypretreats the organic carbonaceous material by contact with it in such amanner as to improve production of desired substantially saturatedliquid and gaseous hydrocarbon products in the reaction zone. Theupwardly moving gas stream also carries the gaseous and vaporized liquidproducts from conversion of the solid organic carbonaceous material inthe reaction zone. The height of the solids preheat and pretreatmentzone may be sufficient to allow substantial thermal exchange to takeplace which heats the free falling solids to near the desiredtemperature of the reaction zone and for pretreatment of solid organiccarbonaceous material to render it more suitable for conversion of theorganic carbonaceous component to liquid and gaseous fuel products inthe reaction zone. This is practical due to the lean solids phase whichwill continue to flow uniformly even in the presence of condensation oncold feed material as encountered by the prior art with moving bedreaction systems. The gas stream passes upwardly from the solids preheatand pretreatment zone to a solids/gas separator means 33 located inupper zone 12 of the reactor. Solids/gas separator means may beconventionally used cyclones as are well known to the art or any othermeans for separation of entrained solids from the product gas. Thesolids/gas separator means is preferably located within the reactorvessel so that the solids may be returned directly to the solids preheatand pretreatment zone for recycle. Gas with entrained product vapor andgases passes from the reaction system through product conduit 34.

The fuels produced according to the process of this invention vary withthe gas used. When hydrogen is used as the upflowing gas, the productstream comprises principally hydrocarbon liquids and low molecularweight paraffinic gases. The desired low molecular weight paraffinic gasproducts include molecules of 4 and less carbon atoms, namely, methane,ethane, propane, butane and isobutane which are removed through productconduit 34. When air, oxygen, steam, flue gases or mixtures thereof areused as the gas, the product stream will also contain steam, carbondioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen in amounts depending on the typeand quantity of gas used.

When liquid products are desired, in one embodiment of the invention,they may be withdrawn and separated from the gas in the upper region ofreaction zone II. The entire system for liquids separation from gas atthe upper region of the reaction zone is optional and used when it isdesired to obtain the highest yield of liquid products. Separation ofliquids at this stage prevents later gasification and possiblecondensation in the solids preheat zone I. As shown in FIG. 1,withdrawal conduit 50 removes gas with entrained liquids and vapor fromthe upper region of reaction zone II. The gas stream is passed throughcooler 51 to cool the gas stream sufficiently to condense desiredliquids from the gas. The gas stream with condensed liquids is thenpassed to liquid/gas separator 52 and liquids are withdrawn throughwithdrawal conduit 53. The gas stream is heated by passage throughheater 54 to the temperature necessary to heat the solids to reactiontemperature in solids preheat zone I. Heater 54 may be supplied heatfrom cooler 51 by heat exchange conduit 59 and/or from any other source.The heated gas is returned to upward flow through the solids preheatzone by passage through conduit 55 to the plenum defined by gasdistributor plate 56 and solid plate 57. Solids falling through preheatzone I are directed into solids conduit 60 and pass through valve V₆such as a trickle valve, a seal-pot valve, or a J-valve, and areredistributed across the cross section of reactor vessel 11 in the upperportion of reaction zone II by distributor baffles 58. In anotherembodiment, the entire gas/liquid withdrawal and reintroduction systemin the upper portion of the reaction zone may be omitted and the liquidproducts entrained in the gas stream may be removed through productconduit 34. The desired hydrocarbon liquids produced by the process ofthis invention are especially suited for further processing, such asproduction of naphtha, gasoline, kerosene, jet fuel, diesel oil andlight fuel oils, and other low boiling distillate oils as well as forconversion to high methane content pipeline quality gas. When liquidproduct is desired, the process conditions may be adjusted as describedabove so that less than about 20 percent of the organic carbonaceousmaterial is converted to the gas form.

When hydrogen is used as the heat-containing gas, the terminology"hydrogen-containing gas" throughout this description and claims, meansgases having sufficient hydrogen partial pressure to effect high organiccarbon hydroconversion from the organic carbonaceous feed material. Suchhydrogen-containing gases may be obtained by a number of processes wellknown in the chemical process industry. It is preferred to use hydrogencontaining gas having a partial pressure of hydrogen greater than about100 psia. The upper operating pressures are limited only by equipmentand economical considerations. Higher hydrogen partial pressures allowhigher reaction rates and thus smaller reactors. Total operatingpressures throughout the process system are usually substantially thesame. Normally, the process of this invention may be carried out attotal pressures of about 1 atmosphere to 1500 psia, preferably about 15to about 500 psia.

A particularly well suited reactor for carrying out the process of thisinvention is shown in FIG. 1. Vertical reactor vessel 10 hassubstantially vertical walls 11 through its central portion, the wallextending outwardly shown as expanded vessel walls 12 forming anexpanded volume in the upper portion of the reactor. A bell-shapedreactor top 14 has depending walls 17 substantially in line with thereactor vessel walls 11 and extend downwardly in the expanded volumehaving their bottom ends spaced from reactor walls 11 forming an annularsolids/gas separation zone between depending walls 17 and expandedvessel walls 12. Depending walls 17 define a solids distribution zonehaving solids distribution baffles 24 capable of distributing the feedsolids substantially evenly across the area of the reactor vessel.Solids feed means 20 introduces feed solids into the upper portion ofthe solids distribution zone and may be any suitable feed means capableof supplying solids to the pressurized vessel. Solids/gas separatormeans 33 are located within the annular solids/gas separation zone andmay feed the solids directly back to the straight wall portion of thereactor vessel. Product conduit 34 is in communication with the gas exitof the solids/gas separator means 33 and conveys the products from thereactor. In the lower portion of the reactor, gas distribution means 32is capable of distributing passing gas across the cross section of thereactor vessel. Gas introduction and supply means 31 allows the entry ofhydrogen-containing gas to the portion of the reactor vessel below gasdistribution means 32. While normally the spent solids will be removedby discharge conduit 19 with valve 5 with some organic carbonaceous feedmaterials the ash will be carried out with the product stream.

The process of this invention requires addition of heat. A particularlysuitable means for introduction of heat to a heat addition zone in thelower portion of the reaction zone is shown in FIG. 1 wherein upwardlyextending expanded vessel wall 13 and downwardly extending vessel wall15 form an annular volume around the heat addition zone to provide forintroduction of hot particulates, hot gases or combustible materials forinternal combustion within the heat addition zone.

FIG. 2 shows another preferred embodiment for solids introduction anddistribution substantially evenly across the area of the reactor vessel.Fluidized bed support 25 extends across the lower portion of dependingwalls 17 and a plurality of overflow tubes 27 extend from the height ofthe fluidized bed 26 downwardly through support plate 25 distributingsolids substantially evenly across the area defined by reactor vesselwalls 11. It is preferred that the lower ends of overflow tubes 27 havevalves 29, such as trickle vales, seal pots, or J-valves, to prevententry of product vapor.

The apparatus of this invention may be constructed of materials apparentto those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and areprincipally dependent upon desired operating temperatures and pressuresas well as overall reactor size.

While in the foregoing specification this invention has been describedin relation to certain preferred embodiments thereof, and many detailshave been set forth for purpose of illustration, it will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible to additionalembodiments and that certain of the details described herein can bevaried considerably without department from the basic principles of theinvention.

I claim:
 1. In a process for production of liquid and gaseous fuels thesteps comprising:introducing solid organic carbonaceous particles ofsizes about -10 to about +400 U.S. Sieve into the upper portion of avertical reactor vessel; introducing gas into the lower portion of saidreactor vessel; passing said carbonaceous particles of sufficiently highdensity within said particle sizes to free fall in a lean solids streamin countercurrent flow relation to said gas from said upper portion tosaid lower portion and passing said gas from said lower portion to saidupper portion, said carbonaceous particles passing sequentially and saidgas passing in reverse sequence through a solids preheat zone, areaction zone, a heat addition zone, and a gas preheat zone, introducinggas to said reaction zone in an amount of about 5 to about 35 StandardCubic Feet gas per pound of said carbonaceous particles, said gas movingupwardly at a higher flow rate than said solid particles and about 0.3to about 15 feet per second providing solids residence time in saidreaction zone of about 2 to about 400 seconds at reaction tempertures ofabout 800° to about 2000° F. forming predominantly said liquid andgaseous fuel products, the amount of heat added in said heat additionzone being sufficient to maintain said reaction temperatures in saidreaction zone; and removing said gas from the upper portion and spentcarbonaceous particles from the lower portion of said reactor vessel. 2.The process of claim 1 wherein said solid organic carbonaceous particlesare heated to said temperature at about 1,000° to about 30,000° F. perminute.
 3. The process of claim 1 wherein said solid organiccarbonaceous particles are heated to said temperature at about 2,000° toabout 10,000° F. per minute.
 4. The process of claim 1 wherein saidsolid carbonaceous particles move downwardly about 0.1 to about 5 feetper second.
 5. The process of claim 1 wherein said solid carbonaceousparticles move downwardly about 0.5 to about 2 feet per second.
 6. Theprocess of claim 1 wherein said solid organic carbonaceous particles areintroduced at about ambient temperature.
 7. The process of claim 1wherein said gas is introduced at about ambient temperature.
 8. Theprocess of claim 1 wherein said temperatures are about 1400° to about2000° F. and said products are predominantly gaseous fuels.
 9. Theprocess of claim 1 wherein said temperatures are about 800° to about1200° F. and said products are predominantly liquid fuels.
 10. Theprocess of claim 9 wherein said gas and said liquid and gaseous productsare removed from said reactor vessel in the upper portion of saidreaction zone, cooled, said products separated from said gas, said gasheated and returned to the lower portion of said solids preheat zone.11. The process of claim 1 wherein said solid carbonaceous particles areheated to said temperature at about 1,000° to about 10,000° F. perminute, said solid carbonaceous particles move downwardly at about 0.5to about 2.0 feet per second, and said solids residence time is about 20to about 200 seconds.
 12. The process of claim 1 wherein said gas ishydrogen containing gas which is introduced to said reaction zone in anamount of about 10 to about 30 Standard Cubic Feet hydrogen per pound ofsaid carbonaceous particles and said products comprise principallyhydrocarbon liquids and low molecular weight paraffinic gases.
 13. Theprocess of claim 1 wherein said gas is selected from the groupconsisting of air, steam, oxygen, flue gases and mixtures thereof andsaid products comprise principally hydrocarbon liquids, low molecularweight paraffinic gases, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.
 14. Theprocess of claim 1 wherein said carbonaceous particles are of sizesabout -55 to about +300 U.S. Sieve, a density of about 50 to about 200pounds per cubic foot, and moves downwardly about 1 to about 1.5 feetper second, and said gas moves upwardly about 2 to about 4 feet persecond, providing said solids residence time in said reaction zone ofabout 20 to about 200 seconds.
 15. The process of claim 1 wherein saidsolid organic carbonaceous particles are selected from the groupconsisting of oil shale, coal, peat and biomass.
 16. The process ofclaim 15 wherein said solid organic carbonaceous particles are oilshale.
 17. The process of claim 16 wherein said oil shale has an organiccarbon to hydrogen weight ratio of about 9 to about 14 and a ModifiedFischer Assay of less than about 15 gallons of oil per ton, saidModified Fischer Assay corresponding to less than half the organiccarbon in the shale.
 18. The process of claim 1 wherein said solidorganic carbonaceous particles are introduced into the upper portion ofsaid reactor by introduction into a fluidized bed maintained in afluidized state by passage of a portion of said gas therethrough, theupper portion of said fluidized bed entering a plurality of overflowtubes to distribute said solids throughout the cross-sectional area ofsaid reactor.